Black Dog Ride began in 2009 as one man's ride to raise awareness of depression, developing into national suicide prevention charity involving thousands of Australian motorcycle riders who've raised over $2,200,000 for mental health services, fostering mental health awareness around the country. Join us as we ride for awareness.

Black Dog Ride to the Red Centre

17th - 23th August 2013

Black Dog Riders in every state and territory depart in August to ride throughout regional Australia, raising awareness of depression and suicide prevention, culminating in a national meet up in Alice Springs. Since 2010, the Black Dog Ride to the Red Centre has raised over $500,000 for mental health services and started the conversation of depression awareness in every corner of the country.

RIDE COMPLETED
CLICK HERE TO READ THE 2013 RIDE TO THE RED CENTRE WRAP UP
Thank you to every Black Dog Rider who participated and helped us raise awareness of suicide prevention across the nation, and helped us to raise over $350,000 for Lifeline and MHFA

Please read and review the following information, and browse the Ride to the Red Centre FAQs, before contacting us, as many of your questions will be answered on these pages.

The Ride

If you feel like a challenge and enjoy the adventure of the open road, then you'll love this awesome ride. Commencing on August 17th, riders from all around Australia are heading to the Red Centre to raise community awareness of depression and suicide prevention.

The final leg of the journey on Friday 23rd will take us to the Mall in the heart of Alice Springs for a Community Event and bbq lunch attended by the Mayor. Whether you ride the first 50kms, make it a weekend ride by overnighting to the first stopover town, or go the whole distance to the Red Centre, you will become a Black Dog Rider and help draw attention to depression, a debilitating illness which affects 1 in 6 Australians.

Enjoy the freedom of the open road, the unique camaraderie which bikers share and the feeling of being part of something which will make a difference. Group rides will be leaving from each State & Territory. Details of the group ride coordinators are listed below.

The Cause

It's an epidemic of modern times - depression. The statistics are staggering:

1 in 6 people will experience depression in their lifetime. Over 50% of them will not seek treatment.

This year alone over 1.3 million people in Australia will experience a depressive illness.

Depression is the third largest individual heath problem in Australia after heart disease and stroke.

Depression is the largest cause of non fatal disability in Australia.

In the work place depression accounts for six million working days lost each year.

Remember, depression is an illness not a weakness and effective treatments are available. It's important to seek help early and with the right treatment most people recover. If you are concerned that you or someone you know may be suffering from depression talk to a doctor or another health professional today. If we talk about depression and work together we can make a difference.

Fundraising for the Black Dog Ride to the Red Centre

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Australia is a national not-for-profit health promotion charity focused on training and research. Their mission is to provide high quality, evidence-based mental health first aid education open to all members of the community. Mental health first aid is in the initial help offered to someone developing a mental health problem or in a mental health-related crisis before appropriate professional treatment is obtained or the crisis is resolved.

MHFA Australia develops, evaluates and provides:
• Evidenced-based 12-14 hour courses which teach mental health first aid strategies to members of the public.
• Instructor Training Courses which train and accredit suitable individuals to deliver these courses to communities and workplaces across Australia.

MHFA Australia will be using their share of the funds raised by the Black Dog Ride to the Red Centre (50%) to train Black Dog Riders in each state and territory as Mental Health First Aid instructors so that communities Australia wide benefit from enhanced awareness of mental health problems and increased capacity to support people developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis.

Lifeline Australia is the pre-eminent suicide prevention organisation in Australia, responding to someone in crisis every 50 seconds and receiving over one million contacts per year. Lifeline is involved in all aspects of suicide prevention across a spectrum of care including early intervention, continuing care and bereavement support. Lifeline also provides access to a range of services - suicide prevention support, self help resources and mental health information, as well as a variety of programs specific to the needs of local communities.

Lifeline Australia will direct it's share of funds raised during the Black Dog Ride to the Red Centre (50%) to building the Online Crisis Support Chat service. This free and confidential support service is available to any one in crisis right across the nation.

Head over to the Black Dog Ride to the Red Centre Fundraising Page at Everyday Hero and get started on helping us to support Australian mental health services. You can share it with your friends, family, club and colleagues easily via Facebook, Twitter or email. You can also make a direct donation without making your own page.

Donations are 100% tax deductible and go straight to Lifeline who will then split the funds with Mental Health First Aid. Every dollar goes back into local communities across Australia.

Registration - Joining the Ride - Sorry CLOSED

We realise that not all riders who would like to take part in the Ride can make the time commitment to go all the way to the Red Centre so to make it accessible to a wider range of riders for 2013 we've moved the start to a Saturday and created several categories of Black Dog Rider:

Day Rider: $30
Rides to the lunch stop on day 1 or joins the ride for a while along the way (no overnight stops). Receives BDR badge and 1 ticket in Red Centre Raffle.

Night Rider: $60
Rides for first day and stays at least 1 night overnight. NEWS!!! Due to the Red Centre Rider category selling out we have extended this category to include up to 3 nights but NOT INCLUDING Port Augusta, Coober Pedy or Alice Springs. Receives BDR badge and decal, and 2 tickets in the Red Centre Raffle.

Red Centre Rider: $110 SOLD OUT. PLEASE EMAIL FIONA TO BE PUT ON THE WAITLIST*
Rides all the way to the Red Centre. Receives BDR badge and decal, Red Centre laser cut keytag (in Alice Springs) and 4 tickets into the Red Centre Raffle.

Red Centre Support Crew Driver $110
For Official Black Dog Ride to the Red Centre Support Crew Drivers only. Please see your state ride coordinator for more information. Receives BDR badge and decal and 4 tickets in the Red Centre Raffle.

Red Centre Support Crew Passenger $20
For Official Black Dog Ride to the Red Centre Support Crew Passengers only. Please see your state ride coordinator for more information. Receives BDR badge and 1 ticket in the Red Centre Raffle.

Because of our Duty of Care you MUST register to take part in this event. The number of Red Centre and Night Riders is limited so please register early to avoid disappointment.

Registration for the ride is open until July 31st or until tickets sell out.

*Red Centre Rider tickets are already sold out! Please email Fiona to be put on the waitlist in case an cancellations occur. Please note we cannot guarantee you a Red Centre Registration if you are on the waitlist.

Please be aware:

• If you require a refund for your registration, you will need to email Fiona.
• Cars are limited to Official Black Dog Ride to the Red Centre Support Crew only. If you require more information, please contact your state ride coordinator.
• You will be required to agree to the Black Dog Ride to the Red Centre disclaimer in order to register. A copy for your reference is here.
• Your bank may impose a small "overseas transaction tax". This is out of the hands of Eventbrite, Black Dog Ride and/or it's beneficiaries and we do not see a cent of it.
• Ride registration funds are directed to Black Dog Ride and are not tax deductible.
• Black Dog Ride complies with the Privacy Act 1988 and your information is never shared or sold with any outside entities.
• You will need your bike registration number and next of kin contact number to complete registration. This is for safety purposes whilst on the ride. Please do not use your pillion or visa versa as a next of kin contact. Use the details of a trusted person whom we can contact should you require assistance on the ride.
• You will need a credit or debit card to complete the ride registration. If you do not have one, you can purchase a pre pay Visa debit card via any Australia Post outlet here.
• Red Centre Riders will receive their Ride to the Red Centre Laser Cut Key tag at the Friday evening function in Alice Springs. You must be present to collect it.
• All riders will receive a Rider's Pack in late July/early August. Please ensure your postal address is correct. If it changes at any time, please contact Fiona.
• Please allow 15-20 minutes to complete the registration. You will be emailed your registration ticket using the email address provided once registration is complete

Ride to the Red Centre Flyers

Please share these amongst your friends, family, club and colleagues. We're providing them in both JPEG and PDF format for to help you get the word out whether it's on social media or via traditional printing. Click on the links below to download the flyers.

The Facebook Album of flyers for the Ride to the Red Centre is HERE Please tag, share, use as profile pictures, raise some awareness!

Accommodation Options.

Please make sure you mention Black Dog Ride when booking all accommodation.

We have made arrangements for a variety of accommodation at each of the overnight stops. There are camping options at nearly all venues and cabins or motel rooms offered on a share basis. It is the responsibility of each participant to make their own bookings for accommodation (including camping). If you prefer hard accommodation it's advisable to book early. The contact details are listed in the Itinerary for each leg of the Ride.

State Itineraries

You can find the itineraries for each leg of the ride in the Ride to the Red Centre menu above, or on the links listed below.

Please contact the Black Dog Ride Coordinator in your State or Territory if you need any further detail about itineraries or the ride in your region.

Bike Shipping from Alice Springs

If time is short and you need to get back home straight after the Ride, new supporters Bikes Only are offering a fantastic BDR deal to freight your bike from Alice to anywhere in Australia. Contact Manelle on (07) 3219-7000 or manager@bikesonly.com.au for a quote or to make your booking. Check out these prices!

ALICE SPRINGS TO:

ADELAIDE $370
MELBOURNE $450
SYDNEY $515
BRISBANE $545
PERTH $695

Prices are per bike and includes GST.

This service has limited capacity so book early if you want to "Ride and Fly". They only require payment 2 weeks prior to pick up so you can book now to secure the space.